NL Central

NL West

Now Commenting On:

Century 21 Home Run Derby celebrates global diversity of Major League Baseball

Home Run Derby celebrates MLB diversity

Email

Print

By
/
MLB Press Release |

On Monday, July 11, players from eight nations around the globe will represent their native homelands in the CENTURY 21® Home Run Derby, it was announced today. The eight players, to be announced next week, will be competing in the annual CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby to highlight the global reach of Major League Baseball and to promote the upcoming inaugural World Baseball Classic. The 2005 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby, part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day, will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Last season, the CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby posted a 5.7 HH rating, drawing 7.7 millions viewers. The CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby annually ranks as one of ESPN's most-watched events.

In addition to the eight players representing their native homelands, eight lucky sweepstakes finalists will be heading to the CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby for the chance to win $250,000 toward the purchase of a home compliments of CENTURY 21. Finalists will be matched with a 2005 Major League Baseball player competing in the CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby; the finalist paired with the Major League Baseball player who captures the 2005 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby title will win the grand prize.

This is the seventh year that Century 21 Real Estate LLC -- the "Official Real Estate Organization of Major League Baseball" -- has hosted the grand slam sweepstakes in conjunction with the CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby. Last year in Houston, Baltimore Orioles' shortstop Miguel Tejada of the Dominican Republic launched 27 home runs to win the 2004 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby title.

The World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 2006, will consist of 16 national teams highlighting the best players in the world competing for their home countries. National teams from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America and the Caribbean will compete in the four-round tournament to be staged at various sites in Asia, Latin America and the United States.

Opening Day rosters for the 30 Major League Baseball Clubs, which consisted of 25-man rosters and disabled lists, included 242 players born outside the 50 United States. In total, 29.2 percent of the 829 players (750 active and 79 disabled) on rosters as of April 4, 2005 were born outside the 50 United States. The Dominican Republic led all countries with 91 players, while Venezuela ranked second with 46 and Puerto Rico was third with 34.

Rules for the 2005 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby:

Opening Round
 Each player gets 10 outs to hit as many home runs as possible.
 The four players with the most home runs hit in the Opening Round advance to the Semi-Final Round.

Second Round
 Home runs do not carry over; Opening Round totals are cleared from the board.
 Each player gets 10 outs to hit as many home runs as possible per at bat.
 The two players with the most home runs in the second round advance to the Championship Round.

Championship Round
 Home runs from the first two rounds do not carry over to the Championship Round: Opening and Second Round totals are cleared from the board.
 Each player gets 10 outs to hit as many home runs as possible.
 The player who hits the most home runs in the Championship Round is declared the CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby champion.

Rules
 An out is registered when a player swings at a pitch and does not hit a home run.
 A ball hit over the fence must be fair to count as a home run.